Linda Ronstadt and Fleetwood Mac

[lilwing80]

Sorry, guys, I am not a rabid Eagles fan. I don't know as much about when their albums came out like I do Fleetwood Mac or Stevie Nicks. I know songs, that's all. I didn't realize the song was from '72. And just because it could say raven hair... writers change things around all the time .... thought it could've been a veiled thing.... it does make sense though.

So this is interesting. Learn something new all the time.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by APerfectLie

She probably never touched any Fleetwood Mac stuff because of Stevie. There are a lot of similarities between the two and I don't think there is any animosity between them, but because of their similarities, for her to do a Mac song, it would seem as if she was invading Stevie's space. And I don't think Stevie would feel this way, but a lot of people would feel "Fleetwood Mac is Stevie's thing! Stand back Linda!!!" You know what I mean? Now why the two never did anything together? Who knows.

Eh?

Only similarities between Linda Ronstadt and Stevie Nicks:

1. They have brown eyes.
2. They are short.

That's it.

I don't think Linda covered Fleetwood Mac material because she really didn't sing "girl songs." Her main schtick back in the day was to take men's rock and roll songs and reinterpreting them as a woman. Secondly, I don't think she covered FM for the same reason that virtually nobody else covers FM- that the personalities within FM are bigger than the songs themselves.

[Amlyn]

Originally Posted by David

Do you remember what Stevie Nicks was doing in 1972?

**Lindsey**

[LukeA]

Ronstadt's career (at least her 70's commercial heyday) is basically one big shtick. Basically every single she released was a cover of a song that was already pretty well known. She had a decent voice, but it was the built-in appeal of the songs themselves and the fact her sexuality was presented/promoted front & center that brought her success. Her contemporaries of that era lean less toward the Stevie Nicks variety and more towards Leif Garrett.

And, full disclosure- her recording of "Different Drum" (with the Stone Poney's, written by Michael Nesmith) is a favorite of mine.

[Nikolaj]

Stevie and Linda R were friendly back in the day. Maybe they still are, who knows, both Arizona girls, originally. Linda kept in contact for decades with Phoebe Snow (sadly, Snow lost her child not long ago, who suffered brain-damage at birth due to medical malpractice, Phoebe was told the child wouldn't live to be 5 years of age, and the child survived much longer, dying at age 31.) Linda reached out to Phoebe after the daughter, Valerie, died, and told Phoebe she needed to get out and sing again.
Ms. Snow herself had a brain aneurism (which contributed to Valerie's death) just this month. A Phoebe Snow tour that had been slated to start in March, is on hold now, obviously.
Back to Stevie--- There was a published account of Stevie and Linda in the audience together attending a Louise Goffin concert, circa 1980, and one said to the other 'do you think we'll still be able to get work as backup singers?' -because they were blown away by Goffin and were sure she had a long career in front of her.
I also recall Linda on LA radio in the early 80's making a supportive comment about Stevie's concert (must have been for 'Bella Donna') and mentioning how she was glad that Waddy (who had toured with Linda for years) was working with Stevie. Linda, at the time, sounded like she was very fond of both Stevie and Waddy.

[Nikolaj]

No offense to you personally, L***, but comparing Linda Ronstadt to Leif Garrett is a ridiculous stretch and you possess far too much intelligence and knowledge to even believe that statement, yourself
But it was clever enough, and seeing how Linda herself detests the 'rock years' of her career, she might even agree with you!

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by LukeA

Ronstadt's career (at least her 70's commercial heyday) is basically one big shtick. Basically every single she released was a cover of a song that was already pretty well known. She had a decent voice, but it was the built-in appeal of the songs themselves and the fact her sexuality was presented/promoted front & center that brought her success. Her contemporaries of that era lean less toward the Stevie Nicks variety and more towards Leif Garrett.

And, full disclosure- her recording of "Different Drum" (with the Stone Poney's, written by Michael Nesmith) is a favorite of mine.

Decent?? Understatement.

"There's really only three female singers in the world: Streisand, Ronstadt and Connie Smith. The rest of us are just pretending." ~ Dolly Parton

[Richard B]

I read somewhere that her album, Simple Dreams, released in 1977 was the first album to bump Fleetwood Mac's Rumours off the #1 spot it held for so long.
I think in the 70's Ronstadt was bigger than Stevie Nicks...just a bigger international household name. I think Rolling Stone even named her the "Queen of Rock N Roll' back in the later 70's.

ON EDIT:
How she ever got the "rock n roll" label I'll never know, as I find her music super mellow yellow. I like many of her covers though, she's got a strong voice, a true vocalist.

[HenleyFan]

Witchy Woman isn't about Linda or Stevie. Since about 2004, Don Henley has been telling the same story at his solo shows when introducting Witchy Woman. He says the song was inspired by a girl named Patty that he knew in LA....she was into herbal remedies and had a lot of plants in her apartment, according to Don. In some versions of the story he talks about how she offered to help "fix his back" (Henley has back problems from singing and drumming at the same time) and like any young man in the early 70s he willing went home with her and got his "fix".

L&M
www.eaglesfans.com

[LukeA]

Originally Posted by Nikolaj

No offense to you personally, L***, but comparing Linda Ronstadt to Leif Garrett is a ridiculous stretch and you possess far too much intelligence and knowledge to even believe that statement, yourself
But it was clever enough, and seeing how Linda herself detests the 'rock years' of her career, she might even agree with you!

So I'm a four letter word now?

To be fair, as you yourself noted, I was specifically referring to her 1970's era ("rock years"). There are parallels between Ronstadt and other 70's singers whose entire career consisted of covering established songs & playing up their sex appeal. Garrett is certainly an extreme, fleeting example, but they have more in common than you might think. I think comparing the career arc (creatively/commercially/known associates/image/etc etc) of Linda Ronstadt to Stevie Nicks is a tremendous disservice to Nicks.

[vivfox]

My favorite song by Linda. Long Long Time. These versions are good but subdued, compared to the recorded version.

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Decent?? Understatement.

"There's really only three female singers in the world: Streisand, Ronstadt and Connie Smith. The rest of us are just pretending." ~ Dolly Parton

I've always liked this quote because of the reference to Connie Smith ..most people on here have probably never heard of her but the girl could sing.A one in ten million voice .She really deserves to be in the same Pantheon as her peers Dolly ,Loretta and Tammy.I guess the reason she is not is that she just didn't have the single minded drive that these 3 legends had.

[Somajoseph]

Originally Posted by LukeA

Ronstadt's career (at least her 70's commercial heyday) is basically one big shtick. Basically every single she released was a cover of a song that was already pretty well known. She had a decent voice, but it was the built-in appeal of the songs themselves and the fact her sexuality was presented/promoted front & center that brought her success. Her contemporaries of that era lean less toward the Stevie Nicks variety and more towards Leif Garrett.

And, full disclosure- her recording of "Different Drum" (with the Stone Poney's, written by Michael Nesmith) is a favorite of mine.

Really Luke, that is just bull****. You werent old enough to actually experience Linda's 70's heydey. Yes, she sang covers, but she had more than a decent voice, and it was her willingness to cover well known but not commercially successful songwriters that made her unique.
The comparison to Leif Garrett?? Laughable!!

[LukeA]

Originally Posted by Somajoseph

Really Luke, that is just bull****. You werent old enough to actually experience Linda's 70's heydey.

Ad hominem- works every time!

Originally Posted by Somajoseph

Yes, she sang covers, but she had more than a decent voice, and it was her willingness to cover well known but not commercially successful songwriters that made her unique.

Please tell me who (other than Warren Zevon) you could possibly be referring to. Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Lieber & Stoller, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson... pretty sure we had heard of 'em.

Originally Posted by Somajoseph

The comparison to Leif Garrett?? Laughable!!

I don't know. Is Shaun Cassidy less laughable? I mean, Garrett in 2010 is a walking tragic punchline, but if you look at the material they covered and how they were marketed (via pinup posters and doing interviews/press with youth-oriented magazines), it sure seems they followed the same business plan (at least in the 70's)

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by LukeA

Please tell me who (other than Warren Zevon) you could possibly be referring to. Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Lieber & Stoller, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson... pretty sure we had heard of 'em.

The McGarrigle sisters?